Musical toy



Patented Mar. I4, I899.

W. A. GAY.

MUSICAL TOY. (Application filed Feb. 19, 1898.)

(No Model.)

L QHEi ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM ALFRED GAY, OF TERRYVILLE, CONNECTICUT. v

MUSICAL TOY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 621,061, dated March 14, 1899. Application filed February 19,1898. Serial No. 670,887. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM ALFRED GAY, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Terryville, in the county of Litchfield and.

State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Musical Toys, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a musical toy of that class in which a gong or its equivalent is caused to sound by means of a hammer or striker; and the object of theinvention is to produce a simple and cheap device of this class which is adapted to be attached to any suitable rocking or swinging device, such as a crib, rocking-horse, and the like.

The invention consists, first, of a rocking or swinging device provided with one or more gongs adapted to be struck and sounded through the medium of the rocking or swinging motion.

The invention consists, further, of certain features of construction and combinations of parts, to be hereinafter described and then particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crib, showing my improved musical toy attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a rocking-horse, also showing my device attached thereto. is an enlarged plan view of the musical toy with the lid of the same removed. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section on line at 4, Fig. 3; and Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5 5, Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4, and 5, my invention comprises a box or casing A, which is preferably provided at each end with cross-pieces B B, forming shoulders on which the lid 0 of the box can rest, these parts constituting what may be designated a sounding-box, in which the bottom of the box forms the sounding-board.

cl, 01', (Z and d are a series of wires or rods of some resilient and vibratory material, such as steel, one end of each of which is preferably cast in a metallic base D, which is fixed in any suitable manner, as by glue, to the end pieces 13 B. These wires or rods cl cl d d are preferably made of different lengths, so that each has a pitch different from the other, and

Fig. 3-

each of the same constitutes what may be termed in a general way a gong, while the series forms a chime caused by the har monic adaptation of the gongs one to the other. Preferably there are two of' the wire gongs forming a set projecting from each end of the sounding-box, the two wire gongs d 61 being of deeper pitch than the wire gongs d d projecting toward them from the opposite end of the box. The wire gongs are shown as placed parallel with each other at suitable distances apart, the gongs d d being placed between the gongs d 02, so that the space between the 65 gongs d d is less than the space between the gongs d d. In order to minimize the length of the sounding-box, the wire gongs of the respective ends 'of the box are set so as to pass each other. It is evident that the gongs may be differently placed and that the proportions shown are not essential to the carrying out of the principle of my invention, the object of which is to so set the gongs as that a suitable striker can when the box is oscillated or rocked be caused to strike the gongs,

so as to produce musical tones. I

The preferred means for striking the gongs consists of strikers E E, arranged in suitable transverse ways located at the opposite ends of the box between the gongs of the respe'ctive sets. The said ways are preferably formed by means of transverse cleats or blocks f and suitable strips f, of pasteboard or other suitable material, said cleats or blocks and strips being glued or otherwise attached to the bottom of the box. The pasteboard which forms the bottom of the ways for the striker being'sot't and non-resonant hence deadens the sound of the striker as it rolls from wire to wire. As the space between the gongs cl and d is wider than the space between the gongs d d the transverse way for the striker E is made longer than the way for the striker E. These strikers preferably consist of suit- 5 able balls or marbles, which can readily roll along the ways from the gong atone side of the box toward the gong at the opposite side.

It will be observed that with respect to the center line of the box the wire gong is offset [00 in relation to or arranged in advance of the wire gong d and the wire gong 01 arranged in advance of the wire gong 61, caused by reason of the adaptation and location of the said wire gongs relatively to each other, as before described. This relative arrangement and location enables the strikers E E to vibrate and sound their respective gongs one after the other, so that two successive tones are emitted when the said strikers are rolled from one side of the box to the other.

The musical toy above described is shown in Fig. 1 as attached to the bottom of a babys crib G, while in Fig. 2 it is shown as attached between the heads of what is termed a shoofly rocking-horse H. These are but two of the methods of oscillating the musical toy so that the strikers are caused to strike the gongs for causing them to emit musical tones, and it is evident that the toy may be oscillated in any other suitable manner. For instance, the toy may be attached to a see-saw, a swing, or a rocking-chair.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination, with a suitable rocking or swinging device, of a sounding box or case supported thereby in horizontal position, a set of wire gongs, a metal base in which said gongs are cast, which base is fixed to the said case, a striker, and a suitable way for guiding said striker from wire to wire, said way being arranged in approximately the horizontal plane of said case, substantially as set forth.

2. A musical toy, consisting of a sounding box or case, two sets of wire gongs, metal bases in which said gongs are cast and which are arranged at opposite parts of the box,- strikers arranged between said gongs, and means for con fining and guiding said strikers within certain limits of movement, whereby each striker is caused to strike a gong of its set, as it is moved from one toward the other, substantially as set forth.

3. A musical toy, consisting of a sounding box or case, a gong arranged in one part of the box, a striker for said gong, another gong arranged in another part of the box, a separate or second striker for the same, said gon gs being arranged on the same side of the box, and being arranged one nearer that side than the other gong, and means for confining and guiding said strikers so as to strike each its own gong only, whereby when said box is oscillated from one. side to the other, said strikers are caused to strike'said gongs in succession, substantially as set forth.

4. A musical toy, consisting of a set of wire gongs, a second set of wire gongs, spaced at a less distance apart than the first set, freelyrolling strikers for each set of gongs, and means for confining and guiding each of said strikers to its appropriate set of gongs and none other, said strikers being arranged to strike the gongs at one side in quick succession, substantially as set forth.

5. In a musical toy, a sounding box or case, containing two sets of gongs, those of one set being spaced at a different distance apart than the other set, a freely-rolling striker for each set of gongs, and means for guiding each striker freely across the space between the gongs of its set whereby the strikers are adapted to strike the gongs at one side of the box in quick succession, when it is oscillated, substantially as set forth.

6. A musical toy, consisting of a sounding box or case, two sets of wire gon gs extending toward each other from opposite parts of the box or case, transverse ways between said wire gongs and strikers guided in said ways, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WM. ALFRED GAY.

\Vitnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, Gno. W. JAEKEL. 

